Kenyan police fired tear gas to prevent scuffles between protesters and government supporters in Nairobi on Tuesday. Youth-led demonstrations against alleged corruption and misgovernance have continued for six weeks, despite President William Ruto abandoning a $2.7 billion finance bill in June.
Protests began in opposition to tax hikes and escalated into the storming of parliament. Despite the bill’s withdrawal, demonstrations persist. Ruto, in response, reshuffled his cabinet, including swapping his defense and environment ministers on Tuesday.
Government Supporters Take to the Streets
For the first time since the protests started on June 18, a group of government supporters marched through downtown Nairobi. Riding motorcycles, they blew whistles and carried placards reading “We support the president” and “Enough is enough.” One supporter, who declined to give his name, said, “We will make sure that business must go back to normal in this city. We condemn the protests.”
Police have attributed the protests, which have resulted in at least 50 deaths, to criminal gangs infiltrating the demonstrations. Anti-government protesters, chanting “Ruto must go,” claim police are targeting peaceful demonstrators while ignoring masked individuals on motorbikes who allegedly cause chaos.
In Nairobi’s Pipeline Estate in Embakasi, men in military fatigues assisted police in clashes with groups of people. It was unclear whether these individuals were protesters or rioters. Police and military officials did not respond to requests for comment.
President Ruto, who had previously expressed a willingness to listen to protesters’ demands, adopted a firmer stance on Sunday. He pledged to protect the nation’s peace and stability and deal decisively “with those who are engaged in mayhem, in anarchy.”
Leading activists in the protest movement had called for an “occupation” of Nairobi’s main airports. However, a heavy police presence on surrounding roads prevented significant disruption. The airport operator advised passengers to arrive hours before flights due to enhanced security checks.
The ongoing protests underscore deep-seated frustrations among Kenya’s youth and civil society. As the situation unfolds, the government faces mounting pressure to address the underlying issues driving the unrest.
Source: ReutersÂ
